Wiki
17 Board & Cards Escoba: the complete wiki
Classic escoba del 15 against the computer with the 40-card Spanish deck: play a card, take the table cards that make 15 with it, and clear the table for an escoba. At the end of each round you score escobas, cards, coins, the seven of coins and sevens.
How to play
Controls
- Pick a card
- Tap it (or press 1, 2 or 3): the table shows what it takes
- Take or leave
- Play buttons below the table; a second tap plays the card when it has a single option
- Cancel the pick
- Escape
Modes and options
- To 15 or 21
- The game’s target.
- Easy, Normal, Hard
- Easy barely looks at what it leaves; Normal guards against your escobas; Hard counts exactly which cards are still out.
Rules
- Values: 1 to 7 as numbered, jack 8, knight 9 and king 10.
- Each player gets 3 cards and 4 go on the table. If those 4 add up to 15, the dealer takes them as an escoba (two if they add up to 30).
- On your turn play one card: you take the table cards that add up to 15 together with it. If it can take, it must; with several combinations, you choose which. Otherwise the card stays on the table.
- Clearing the table is an escoba, worth 1 point.
- When both hands are empty, 3 more cards each until the deck runs out. Whatever is left on the table at the end goes to the last player who took cards.
- Round points: each escoba; most cards; most coins; the seven of coins; most sevens. A tie in a count gives nobody the point.
- First to 15 (or 21) wins. If both pass the target in the same round, the higher score wins; a tie plays another round.
Strategy
Control the table total. Leaving it under 5 or over 14 makes a one-card escoba impossible; the totals in between are risky.
Near the end of the deck, remember who took last: the leftover table goes to them.
Tips
- Before dropping a card, add up what stays on the table: if your rival can make 15 with a single card, you’re gifting an escoba.
- The seven of coins is a whole point: if you can take it, it almost always pays.
- Keep sevens for late: they count twice (sevens and, for the coin one, the seven of coins).
- With several combinations, take the one with more coins or more cards.
Common mistakes
- Dropping a card that leaves a table total your rival can complete with one card: that’s gifting an escoba.
- Picking the combination with fewer cards when another takes more coins or the seven of coins.
- Letting sevens go early: they count towards two round points.
- Forgetting that the leftover table goes to whoever took last.
Mechanics
The tags that describe Escoba. Those with a page lead to similar games.
Glossary
- Escoba (sweep)
- In Escoba, taking every card on the table with a play that adds up to 15. Each sweep is worth a point at the end of the round.
FAQ
- Do I have to take?
- In this version, yes: if the card you play can make 15 with table cards, it takes. When there are several ways, you choose.
- Does an escoba on the last play count?
- Yes: clearing the table is always an escoba, the round’s last play included.
- Does the computer cheat?
- No: it can’t see your cards or the deck, only the table and what’s already been taken.